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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22393948">Stories from Behind the Band</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbirdscot/pseuds/SugarandSpice'>SugarandSpice (blackbirdscot)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sporty and Baby [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Real Person Fiction, Spice Girls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:47:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22393948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbirdscot/pseuds/SugarandSpice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma has joined the band and things are starting to come together for the group.  Melanie has to face her responsibilities to the band and to herself as she starts to question her feelings for the newest and youngest member of the group.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Melanie C/Emma Bunton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sporty and Baby [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1611826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Making the Band Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A couple of chapters to this fic but I will be revisiting this time frame in a couple of more stories.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Melanie heard the living room door open slowly and couldn’t help but groan slightly.  She’d been kicked out of her bedroom because Mel and Geri were messing about and giggling non-stop in Mel’s bed.  When she’d asked them to quieten down Mel had told her to kip in the front room if she was that bothered.</p><p>So Melanie had grabbed her cover and pillow and come down the stairs knowing it was the only way she was going to get a decent night’s sleep.  They had to be at the studio by nine in the morning and as it was Friday, meaning she was supposed to be heading back up to visit her mum for the weekend.</p><p>If she didn’t get any sleep there wasn’t much chance of going up North.  And if Melanie was honest with herself, she could do with a break from the others.  They’d been living with each other for over two months now and she’d only gone back home twice.</p><p>“You awake?” That was Emma’s asking.</p><p>Melanie pulled the cover down from over her head.  “Yeah?” She replied wondering what the blonde wanted.</p><p>“Can I sleep in with you?” Emma asked as she closed the door and came closer to Melanie laid out on the couch.  “Vicky’s giggling away with her boyfriend and Geri and Mel don’t sound like they’ll be sleeping anytime soon.”</p><p>Melanie snorted but didn’t comment on what was going on in her bedroom.</p><p>Just then the cover was pulled out of her hands and Emma was trying to fit onto the coach beside her. </p><p>“Hey, I coulda been naked under here!” She complained only to hear Emma chuckle. </p><p>“I’ve lived here for how long?” Emma said as she snuggled into Melanie.  “I know you don’t sleep naked.” No one in the house did except maybe Geri and Mel but they didn’t talk about that.</p><p>Melanie huffed but found her arms wrapping around Emma all on their own.  It was a small couch after all and she didn’t want the younger girl falling off.</p><p>“I <em>could</em> have been naked.”</p><p>Emma laughed.  “Stop it and let me sleep.” She said, giving Melanie her best pout.  The older girl rolled her eyes at her but shifted to let them both lie down as best as they could.  “And no pushing me off in the middle of the night either.”</p><p>“Well, no snoring.” Melanie countered.</p><p>Emma gasped and pushed herself up to stare down at Melanie.  “I do not snore!”</p><p>Melanie grinned.  “Well see that you don’t or you can just kip in the bathroom.” And it would serve the other’s right if that happened and Emma kept the door locked.</p><p>Emma huffed then shifted back onto Melanie, resting her head on the other girl’s shoulder.  “Were you always this mean or did you wait until I’d lived here a while before showing yourself?” She asked jokingly.</p><p>“Sorry.” Melanie said pressing her lips to Emma forehead.  She then tightened her hold around Emma and they both wriggled about, their legs entwining as they tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in.</p><p>Finally they both settled in place and tried to get some sleep, it was already after midnight.</p><p>“Can I ask you something?” Emma whispered, wondering if Melanie was still awake or not.  If she had fallen asleep she didn’t want to wake her.</p><p>“Hm?” Melanie mumbled, not opening her eyes but moving her hand slightly on Emma’s back to show she was paying attention.</p><p>Emma bit her lip, hesitating for a second.  “Are you gay?” She asked softly.</p><p>Melanie felt her whole body tense up at that question, she hadn’t been expecting it, and given Mel and Geri snogging each other most nights, she didn’t think Emma had a problem with gay people.</p><p>Emma winced when she felt Melanie react.  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” She said.</p><p>Swallowing down her panic, Melanie tried not to be offended by the question.  She’d been around the other girls for a couple of months now and they all seemed to just accept each other.  She’d known Victoria a little bit before because of drama school but it had taken a little while to get used to each other outside of the studio.</p><p>Geri and Mel were both hard to deal with on their own sometimes but together they hardly let you get a word in edge ways.</p><p>The whole point of them sharing the flat was to get to know each other well enough that it would come across while they tried to make the band successful.</p><p>“You can ask.” Melanie finally replied.  If they couldn’t talk to each other who would they talk to, besides their managers they didn’t spend time with anyone else and they’d been told they’d be living in the flat for the next year or so before they’d be ready for approaching a record company.</p><p>Emma shifted to look at Melanie.  She shrugged and asked, “I was just wondering.” And because she’d overheard Mel talking to Geri earlier about Melanie fancying all of them.</p><p>Melanie tried to keep her gaze up towards the ceiling as she took her time before answering.  “Does it matter?” She asked.  She was nineteen, did it matter if she preferred to wear trainers over high heels, or track suits instead of skirts, and why did she have to wear make-up?  A proper tomboy, she’d rather watch a football game than go shopping for clothes.</p><p>Emma shook her head.  “No.”</p><p>Melanie felt her eyes sting, so she closed them and tried to keep the tears at bay.  “If maybe I am?” She asked in a whisper.  She’d had a boyfriend before and they’d even had sex, but it had been over quickly and they’d broken up soon afterwards.</p><p>But that didn’t mean that she was gay. </p><p>Emma shook her head against Melanie’s shoulder.  “Course not.”</p><p>Melanie let out a sigh and tried to relax.  She knew the other girls probably talked about her behind her back, but generally they didn’t seem to care that she didn’t have a boyfriend and wasn’t looking the few times they went out to a club together.</p><p>She wanted this band to work so for the next however many months all she wanted to spend her time doing was singing and dancing with them.  They had to get a lot better than they were if they had any hope of one of the big record companies wanting to sign them.</p><p>So questions about her sexuality didn’t matter to Melanie because she didn’t have the time for a relationship.  Right now they had two songs they were trying to learn and a dance routine to get right.  Some of them had problems with both of those things so they had a lot of work to do if they were ever going to be ready.</p><p>Melanie knew from her mum and step-dad just how much hard work was involved even when they’d been performing for years.  She knew that they had to get everything perfect, and she was far from that, so maybe in the months to come she could consider Emma’s question more but music was the only thing in her life right now, learning to sing and dance, and learning how to be part of this group with the other girls.</p><p>Glancing down at Emma, Melanie wasn’t surprised that the blonde was fast asleep.  It brought a smile to her face to see Emma’s eyes closed and her breathing evened out.  The girl could sleep anywhere if she was tired.</p><p>Taking the hint Melanie closed her own eyes and it wasn’t long before she drifted off too.</p><p>xxxxx</p><p>A noise from the kitchen woke Melanie up.  She couldn’t move because she still had Emma cuddled into her, but there was definitely someone in the kitchen and by the smile they had coffee on.</p><p>Doing her best not to disturb Emma, which was difficult because the blonde was a pretty heavy sleeper once she was out, Melanie eased out of the way and climbed over Emma.  With a grin at her friend she made sure the cover was back in place before grabbing her hoodie from the floor and walking into the kitchen to see who was up.</p><p>“Morning.” Melanie said as she saw Victoria sat up on the counter and went to the kettle.</p><p>Victoria grinned at Melanie as the other girl made her own coffee.  “Sleep well?” She asked then sipped her coffee to hide her smirk.</p><p>Blushing, Melanie set about putting some bread in the toaster before turning to face Victoria.  “Bit crowded but alright ta.”</p><p>“Sorry if I woke you, you did look all… comfy.” Victoria teased.</p><p>Snorting, Melanie turned to fix her toast, taking the time to think of a reply to that comment.  “Would have been just fine down here on my own if one of us wasn’t chatting up their boyfriend all night when Ems was trying to sleep.”</p><p>“Is that right?” Victoria asked, looking entirely too smug for Melanie’s liking.</p><p>Melanie shook her head then tried to finish her breakfast as quickly as she could, she didn’t want Geri or Mel coming down and giving her a hard time as well with Emma still down here.  “I’m going for a run, you want to join me?” She offered Victoria.  She knew the other girl was just teasing and it was harmless mostly.</p><p>Not like it would have felt if it had been Mel that had come down first.</p><p>“Not likely.” Victoria replied.  There was no way she was going to exercise before spending the day going over dance moves with the rest of the girls.</p><p>Swallowing down her coffee, Melanie put her mug in the sink after she rinsed it.  “Your loss.”  Running alone would mean she didn’t have to worry about anyone keeping pace with her, she could just go out and run her usual circuit around the park and then head back.  It should be time for Geri to drive them to the studio by then.</p><p>Victoria watched Melanie start to leave before calling her name.  She hopped down after Melanie stopped and walked over to her.  “Just for the record Mel, I wasn’t on the phone to anyone last night.” She said with a grin, then walked past and headed up the stairs to grab a quick shower, leaving Melanie to stare after her.</p><p>Melanie shook her head to clear her thoughts, but if Victoria wasn’t bothering Emma by talking on her phone last night, why would Emma need to sleep down here with her?</p><p>It made no sense.</p><p>Walking back into the living room Melanie stared down at Emma then crouched down, placing her hand on the girls shoulder and giving her and gentle shake.  “Em.”</p><p>Turning her face into the pillow Emma let out a groan.  “Ten more minutes.” She muttered without opening her eyes.</p><p>Melanie chuckled.  “Wake up Em.” She tried again.</p><p>“Why can’t I sleep?” Emma asked as she pouted and looked towards Melanie, who didn’t seem to want to let her stay asleep.</p><p>“Ya can in a minute.” Melanie assured Emma.  “I just wanted to let you know I’m away for a jog before we have to leave for the studio.”</p><p>Emma rubbed the sleep from her eyes and notice the time on the walk clock.  “Oh.” She’d have to get up soon.</p><p>Melanie watched Emma pout and couldn’t help but grin.  “You can sleep for another half hour but if you want a shower before we leave you might want to beat Geri and Mel to it.”</p><p>Emma huffed out a breath but didn’t move.  “Fine.  Ten more minutes.”  It was hard for her to choose between more sleep and having to go to the studio without a shower if she ended up last in the queue.</p><p>Not believing that for a second, Melanie leaned over and pressed her lips to Emma’s forehead before tucking the cover back around her.  “Sure Ems.” </p><p>Melanie left the girl to fall back to sleep confident that she’d end up having to wake her again when she got back, and let her jump in for a shower first or she’d never hear the end of it all day.</p><p>Finding her trainers in the hallway Melanie tied them in place then stepped out into the early morning air.  Summer was starting and it felt exciting to Melanie as she jogged to the nearby park.  There were so many possibilities for them as a band and Melanie couldn’t wait to see where it all took them.</p><p>Emma had been the right fit.  They were definitely complete now, they just had to work for it and they’d get to the top, she knew it.</p><p>It didn’t faze Melanie that they were no bands already out there that looked or even sounded like them.  It just made her want to get there quicker because every time they were in the dance studio rehearsing she felt like they had something special together.</p><p>True they were all very different but it was their differences that would make them stand out from the other girl groups like Eternal or Banarama.</p><p>If they could all make it through living and working together for the next year or so.</p><p>Easy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A song and dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hurry up, or we’re leaving without you.” Warned Mel as she called up the stairs.</p><p>“Two minutes.” Melanie called back down as she heard the front door slam, glad she’d had something to eat before her run otherwise she’d be spending the day hungry.  She finished dressing and slipped on her trainers before grabbing a bottle of water and putting it into her rucksack and hurried after the rest of the girls.</p><p>By the time she got to Geri’s Fait Uno the only space left was in the back beside Emma and Victoria, Mel having already called shotgun up front with Geri.  No surprise there. </p><p>“Let me close the door Geri.” Melanie complained as the car pulled off just as she’d sat down.</p><p>“We’re going to be late again and Chris is going to go mental.” Mel replied.</p><p>Rolling her eyes Melanie placed her bag between her feet.  She’d been one of the first up that morning so she’s not sure how she could get the blame for them running late.</p><p>She only just kept from responding to Mel by the hand on her leg.  She looked at Emma and gave her a shrug before slouching back in her seat.  It wasn’t worth the drama if she got into an argument with Mel before they even got their day started.  Mel had a tendency to spend a day calling you out for every little mistake you made when she was in a foul mood.</p><p>“Thanks for waking me.” Emma whispered.  “This lot would have just left me sleeping.” She went on.</p><p>“Not true.” Victoria pipped up from across Emma.  “I was going to dump water on you.  I room with you, I know how to get you up in the morning.”</p><p>Emma pouted when Melanie laughed.  “She did that last week, and it wasn’t even like we had anywhere to go.” She complained, remembering having water splashed onto her face when she’d fallen asleep in the living room after they’d spent the day rehearsing.  She’d been tired and had only just eaten dinner so it was hardly her fault she needed a nap.</p><p>“I was meant to drive you to your mum’s.” Victoria added.  Just like today, she often drove Emma back to her house to stay the weekend because it was in the general direction of her own parent’s house.</p><p>Melanie put her arm around Emma.  “Aww. Poor baby.” She told her, still chuckling.</p><p>“Yeah, well, if it’s the same tonight, I’m leaving without you.” Victoria warned.</p><p>Just then Mel stuck her head around having heard that last part.  “Who is going home this weekend?” She asked.  She rarely got up to Leeds because she wasn’t keen on the travelling back and forth, it just seemed like a waste of time.  But it was her cousins twenty-first birthday so she wasn’t missing that party.  “I’m catching the train straight from rehearsals.” She’d already shoved a bag into the boot and Geri was driving her to the station.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m going to my sisters.” Geri said turning to look at the others which made them react.</p><p>“Watch the road.” Melanie called out.</p><p>“Eyes front Geri.” Victoria said.</p><p>Emma just covered her eyes with her hand and just hoped for the best. </p><p>Mel however just laughed at the lot of them and turned back around.  Geri had swerved slightly but Mel wasn’t sure if that was just her driving or because the others were shouting at her.  She did however, reach over and fasten her seatbelt into place, it didn’t hurt to be careful.</p><p>Melanie groaned.  They survived that scare but from experience she knew it wasn’t going to be that last.  “I’m staying.” Her parents were working and as much as she’d like to see her brother, there wasn’t a game on at Anfield so she’d save her money.  Plus she could get to the gym and practise some of her gymnastics over the weekend without the other girls making her self-conscious about it.</p><p>“Well, it’s gonna be just you on your own then.” Mel warned. </p><p>Melanie shrugged.  “Not that bothered.”</p><p>“You could always come stay with me if you want, my mum’s wanting to meet everyone anyway.” Emma said after she gave it some thought.  She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of Melanie staying in the flat on her own.  She knew she wouldn’t have liked to stay there by herself.</p><p>The car fell a little silent after Emma said that.  No one had been to Emma’s house yet, not even Victoria because she always dropped Emma off outside her house.</p><p>“Think about it.” Emma added when Melanie didn’t accept her offer right away.  “I know my mum won’t mind.”</p><p>“You should probably make sure of that first Emma, before inviting any of us.” Geri pointed out.</p><p>Emma shrugged as they got nearer to the studio. </p><p>Soon enough Geri was turning into the car park and they all scrabbled out, Melanie grabbed her rucksack and put it on her shoulders.</p><p>When they all got inside Chris and another man were talking in the far corner.  Collectively they started to put their things down over by the window where a table was set up.  There were chairs nearby and as Melanie went to the tape player the others sat down.</p><p>It was usual for them to practise their scales as a warm up for the first half hour or longer depending on how smoothly everyone got it.  After that it was an hour or two of acapella work where they went over the two songs they had and maybe try one or two current chart songs.  Then it was mic work with a backing track, if they were lucky a break for lunch, then they repeated the whole process in the afternoon.</p><p>“Hello there girls.” Chris said, noticing the rise in chatter.  “Hold on a minute Melanie.” He said when he saw her getting the tape player ready.</p><p>Melanie shrugged at the others then took a seat on the floor beside Victoria as Chris and the man he was with came over to them.</p><p>“This is Irwin, and he’s got some new material written I think will work well for you.” Chris explained.</p><p>Mel stood up.  “About time Chris!” She said happily.  “Let’s hear it then.” She looked at both of their hands but didn’t see a tape or even a sheet with the lyrics.</p><p>Chris shook his head.  “Give us a chance.”  He then looked down at Melanie.  “While we go get enough sheets for everyone, why don’t you take them through a warm up?”</p><p>Melanie nodded and went back over to the tape player.  She’d already set it up so she just needed to press play when the other girls were ready.  However as Chris and Irwin had left the room Mel raced around the room jumping and waving her arms.</p><p>The rest of them just laughed at her as she came back over.</p><p>“A new song!” Mel exclaimed.  Clearly excited.  “You know what that means girls.”</p><p>“More work?” Victoria offered, although she was just as pleased as Mel was with the news.  Two songs weren’t a lot so their days were very repetitive and lately it had caused more than a bit of tension when one of them messed up.</p><p>“Yes!” Mel cried, pumping her fists in the air.  “And more dance moves, this is going to be wicked.”</p><p>Melanie rolled her eyes.  “We haven’t heard the song yet.” She cautioned.  She wasn’t overly impressed with the ones they were already working with, but she knew those songs were older. </p><p>“How do we decide who sings what?” Emma asked.  When she’d come into the group they’d already had the two songs and parts, she’d been given the lines that Michelle, the girl before her, had sang.</p><p>“Depends.” Geri told her.</p><p>“Yeah,” Mel agreed.  “It’ll be a demo but I doubt it’ll have five singers.” Because that would cost more, usually it was the writer themselves that sang on the demo, or a session singer if the writer/studio paid for one.  “We’ll work on the chorus together, then share out verses, then maybe let Melanie sing something.” She added with a laugh.</p><p>“Cheeky.” Melanie replied, not offended at all, just waiting for them to be done talking about this before she could get on with their warm up.  It was always best to let Mel and Geri get it out of their systems first or they’d never be able to focus properly.</p><p>Victoria yawned.  She’d been up for a few hours now but couldn’t make herself feel excited about having to learn a new song.  If she was honest she’d rather they’d been allowed to just go with learning pop songs that were already out there.</p><p>It was the process they were supposed to be working on together.  It didn’t really matter what songs they used, but something that didn’t sound like her dad would have sang it when he was starting out would have been a good start.</p><p>But the Herbert father and son duo did not want to hear their opinions, especially the older of the two.  There was also a business partner that worked with Bob Herbert that they’d only met for the first time on their first day at the dance studio.  He’d basically told them that if they couldn’t make it as a group he’d find another five girls to become famous.  And a few weeks later Michelle was out and Emma had replaced her, so they were all aware that they could have the same thing happen to them if they didn’t work hard enough.</p><p>Which was unlikely.  They spend hours in the studio work on their dance routine and trying to harmonise their lines.</p><p>If Victoria was honest with herself she was still surprised Geri was here, although she could take a guess as to why the Herbert’s thought she was a good fit.  Victoria didn’t care how often Geri said she was twenty, there was no way she believed her.</p><p>“What if we don’t like the song?” Emma asked, she hadn’t been around for when the girls got presented with the other two songs to learn so this was new to her.  And she was looking forward to it.  She’d never thought about becoming a pop star, her singing lessons were more geared towards theatre work than the music industry but so far things were working out.</p><p>“Do we like any of the songs?” Melanie couldn’t help but ask.  “Serious question.” She added as she looked between the other girls.</p><p>Victoria smirked.  “No comment.”</p><p>“They’re alright.” Geri answered with a shrug.  “They're a start.”</p><p>“Hmm.”  Melanie wasn’t arguing that.  But she felt it was a pretty low starting point.</p><p>Mel rolled her eyes.  “Well no lead part for you then.” She told Melanie.</p><p>“No one is singing lead.” Geri reminded them.  They’d all agreed early on that it wasn’t something they wanted.  The music industry already had plenty of music groups that were made up of a lead singer and backing vocals.</p><p>They wanted to be something different.</p><p>“Let’s just wait until we have the sheet music.” Victoria cut in before anyone started to really argue about this.</p><p>Just then Chris and Irwin returned to the room, causing Melanie to clear her throat.</p><p>“Okay girls, here we go.” Chris said as he handed out the lyrics to the song.  “We won’t have a backing track until Monday and we’ve got Pepe coming in that afternoon to go through this with you.” He explained as he passed out the sheets of paper in his hand.</p><p>“This is great.” Mel said as she took her sheet.  “Can’t we work on it today?” She asked, more than keen to get something fresh to work on, even if it was just some dance steps.</p><p>Chris looked at his watch, he had to be back in the office in a few hours.  He was about to say no until he saw the looks he was getting from the girls.  With a sigh he looked to Irwin.  The girls couldn’t work on much without the backing track.</p><p>“I can bring it over this afternoon, that’s the best I can do.” He told them.  He’d been planning to just speak with Chris about the song, he’d played it to him over the phone but he’s only brought the lyrics over today because he was in the area.  Now he had to go back to his studio for the tape and come back here with it.  No really his plan for the day.</p><p>But he only got paid if the girls used it so he could hardly say no.</p><p>Chris nodded, happy with that.  “You girls can dish out the lines or whatever today, learn it over the weekend and we’ll have Pepe in to help most of next week.” He said then looked at his watch again.</p><p>“Sounds like a plan.” Mel said.  “Pleasure meeting you Irwin.” She added with her hand out to their new song writer.</p><p>Geri was next to inch up to Irwin and take his hand.  “Yes, I’m sure we’ll do your song justice.  Once we have it all polished and perfect we’ll be happy to perform for you.”</p><p>Melanie looked at Victoria and made a face as Geri threw her ‘assets’ at Irwin.</p><p>Chris chuckled as he watched Irwin get flustered as Mel and Geri both laid it on a little thick.  He could hardly call them out on it when they’d done the exact same thing to him, hell it was the reason Geri even got a chance to audition for the band.</p><p>It definitely wasn’t for her singing skills.</p><p>But even this early on Chris had to admit that the five girls had potential.  They were definitely not like the other acts around at the moment.  Only time would tell if that was a good thing or not.</p><p>“Just go through your usual work today, and we’ll pick this up properly on Monday.” Chris reminded them.</p><p>Melanie gave him a salute to let him know they understood.</p><p>“If I can’t get back here, I’ll have someone bring it by.” Irwin assured the girls.</p><p>“Looking forward to it.” Geri told him as Irwin and Chris started to leave the room.</p><p>When the door closed behind the pair, Mel went back to racing around the room, only this time she added a happy squeal to her jumping around.</p><p>“Certifiable.” Melanie said with a disappointed shake of her head.  Then she went back to the tape player and started the scales they’d go through.</p><p>“She’s just excited.” Emma told Melanie as she watched Geri try to pull Mel back over into the circle they had formed for practising their vocals.</p><p>Melanie shrugged.  A hyper Mel wasn’t a good thing when it came to getting down and working. </p><p>“Okay, alright Geri, give me my arm back.” Mel said as she pulled free from Geri.  She walked the rest of the way to the others unaided.  “I am here.”  She said, but her eyes were still on the lyric sheet.  Her mind trying to work out how to cut the song up for them all.</p><p>“Are you though?” Victoria asked after watching her for a moment.  Mel still looked like she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, and she was still bouncing in place.</p><p>Melanie switched the recording off.  This wasn’t a good start to the day.</p><p>Mel grinned extra wide over at Victoria, looking a little manic.  “Yes.  I am.”</p><p>Emma reached over and pressed her finger into Mel’s arm who swatted at her hand causing her to pull it back quickly or get hit.  Then she turned to Victoria.  “She is.”</p><p>Victoria shook her head at the pair as Mel took offence to being jabbed and went for Emma causing the younger girl to hide behind Geri.  It wasn’t long before all three of them were messing about all over the room, hitting each other and using one of the others as a shield.</p><p>Victoria stepped up to Melanie as they both watched on.  “Think we’ll survive them long enough to make it as a group.”</p><p>Melanie had been wondering exactly the same thing.  “If we don’t kill each other.”  She and Mel had already fallen out a few times, mostly when they’d been drinking, but they’d all had moments like that.</p><p>Geri tended to be very bossy, and Mel could be really rude to them whether she meant to be or not.</p><p>Only last week Geri had Victoria in tears after criticising her for making mistakes during the choreography.  As if Geri never made mistakes all the time.</p><p>Victoria snorted when Melanie said that.  “Should we leave them to it?” She asked, not for a second wanting to get involved with the play fighting going on.</p><p>Melanie watched on, not wanting anyone to get hurt.  Especially Emma.  Sometimes Geri and Mel could really go at it and she didn’t want the blonde getting hurt in the cross fire.</p><p>But there was more laughter going on from those three than cursing so she figured they were fairly safe.</p><p>“Want to go over this song?” Melanie offered.  She didn’t like trying to sort out parts without the music but it would let the others burn themselves out and then maybe they could get some work done today.</p><p>Victoria smirked.  “Maybe if you start singing the whole thing they’ll stop and come over.” She suggested.</p><p>Melanie’s eyes widened.  “Yeah, to kill me.”  She’d watched the others complain when Chris had suggested she take lead on one of their other songs and the rest just join in on the chorus.  Mel and Geri had shot him down quickly, telling him they weren’t going to be just another girl band that all looked and dressed the same with only one singer, they were five girls that all had something to offer.</p><p>And so that’s how it had gone.  Although Melanie still found herself singing a lot of the songs simply because the others couldn’t hit the notes she could, not yet at least.</p><p>“I’ll protect you.” Victoria offered.</p><p>Rolling her eyes Melanie shook her head and went to sit down on a seat.  When Victoria sat down beside her she glanced back over to see that Mel had jumped onto Geri’s back and was swatting at Emma who was protecting herself with what looked to be a phone book.</p><p>“There’s three of them.” She said to Victoria.  “So I don’t like your chances.”</p><p>“I couldn’t protect myself against one of them never mind all of them.” Victoria admitted.</p><p>Melanie smiled.  “I'll protect you.” She told her friend.</p><p>Victoria just grinned back at her.  She was grateful Melanie was more like she was, because if not and all four of the other girls had all been as crazy as Mel or Geri she wouldn’t have lasted this long.</p><p>“Hey, check out the title of the song.” Melanie said as she’d only just noticed it herself.</p><p>Victoria looked at the sheet in her hand.  “We’re going to make it happen?”</p><p>“Yes we are, aren’t we girls?” Mel said as she grabbed her own sheet from the floor where it had landed when she’d chased after Emma.  “That’s kinda cool for a song title.”</p><p>“Fate.” Geri added as she came and sat down with her own copy of the lyrics, closely followed by Emma who quickly sat on the other side of Victoria, furthest away from Mel.</p><p>“Cheesy.” Melanie added, but she read through the lyrics.</p><p>“You think everything is cheesy if it’s not rock’n’roll.” Mel replied.</p><p>A shrug was Melanie’s only answer to that.  She might feel differently if it was her own songs she was singing but this wasn’t theirs, she didn’t mind singing other people's songs, she’d happily belt out chart toppers back at the flat with the rest of the girls.  But the songs they’d been given so far just felt so dated and out of touch to her.</p><p>Geri found a pen from somewhere and started to make notes on her page.  “Well, we’re all singing the chorus, and maybe Mel can do the intro.”</p><p>“No I want the middle or the end.” Mel said hardly even caring what the lyrics were.</p><p>“I don’t mind which part I sing.” Emma said.</p><p>“You should.” Victoria cut in.  “Otherwise this lot will take over.”</p><p>Melanie put her hand to her chest.  “Excuse you Vicky.” She said, lifting her chin.  “I know how to share thank you.”</p><p>“I don’t.” Mel answered with a laugh.  “I want it all.  Mine, mine, mine.”</p><p>The others laughed along with her knowing it was very true. </p><p>“Does that mean everyone’s staying this weekend to go over this?” Melanie asked, looking at the other girls.  Testing just how much they wanted it.</p><p>Mel guffed.  “No chance.”</p><p>“I’m going home.” Victoria insisted.  She wasn’t giving up time with her family at this stage.  They were going to be together for months working on songs, the weekends were the only time they got to themselves.  It would be different if they already had a contract and a record, she was sure the workload would be ten times what they were dealing with now, but until then they could do what they liked with their weekends and Victoria was going to do just that.</p><p>Geri was shaking her head.  “Yeah, I don’t think we need to go that far, we haven’t even got the music yet.” She said.</p><p>Melanie had expected all of those answers.  So she nodded at the others but got up and went back to the cassette player.  “Then can we just get back to working on the songs we already have.” Which were far from ready for anyone outside of Chris to listen to them perform.</p><p>Mel groaned, let herself flop backwards onto the floor then got up when Geri and Emma tugged at her hands.  “I guess.”</p><p>Melanie waited until they were all back in the circle they had started earlier.  She pressed play once more and waited for her cue.  “From the top, all together then we’ll do solo’s.” She told the others, and before they could reply the tones sounded from the speaker and five voices joined in at varying degrees of success.</p><p>A new song for them to work with might sound like a good thing, but if they didn’t learn to have a solid foundation, none of it would matter.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Drive you mad</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Victoria stood outside the studio, watching Geri and Mel drive off.</p><p>Melanie shook her head and jumped down the steps, her rucksack over her shoulder.  “Can’t believe those two couldn’t drop us off home first.”</p><p>Emma sighed and hooked her arm through Victoria’s.  “Guess it’s the bus for us three then.”</p><p>“I’ve got change on me if anyone needs it.” Melanie offered.  It was a long way to walk and none of them wanted to spend the money on a taxi.  They were signing on for benefits because technically they were unemployed, but even then that didn’t leave them with much money after food and the occasional cheap pint down the pub or at a club if they needed a break. </p><p>Victoria had money on her but she’d have to go to the shops if she wanted change for the bus.  “Thanks.” She replied happy to exchange bus fair at the moment.  She'd make it up to Melanie later.  “Save me breaking a tenner.”</p><p>“So are you coming to mine Melanie?” Emma asked as the three of them started walking along the road.  They’d have to get the bus from another street to get near to Maindenhead where they were staying.</p><p>Melanie tilted her head, her hands gripping the straps of her bag.  “You sure your mum isn’t going to mind?”  Her own parents wouldn’t  care if she brought any or even all of the girls up north, but she still felt nervous about the idea of just turning up at Emma's house with her.</p><p>Shaking her head, Emma smiled.  “Of course she won’t.  Come on, it’ll be fun, way better than staying at the flat alone.”</p><p>Victoria had to agree with that.  “I don’t mind driving you both over and picking you up on Sunday.”</p><p>“I guess I could then, if you’re sure.”  Melanie didn’t want to take advantage of Emma or impose on her family.  She knew Emma lived with her mum at home and that she had a younger brother Paul who went by PJ. </p><p>“It’ll be fine honest.” Emma replied.</p><p>“If we don’t get a move on we’ll all be staying at the flat this weekend.”  Victoria cut in to their conversation.  She was still annoyed Geri had driven off and left them.  If she’d known that was going to happen she would have driven her own car to the studio today.</p><p>Rolling her eyes Melanie checked her watch, she was used to catching the bus because a few times she’d leave the others to go home while she went from the studio to the gym nearby.  She found it hard to deal with a day where all she did was sing, it’s partly why she tried to go jogging most mornings.</p><p>“There’ll be a bus by soon.” She explained, confident they’d time a bus and be back at the flat before it was later than Victoria often left for the weekend.  But of course she knew if Geri had at least offered to drop them off half way back home they’d have even more time before they needed to leave.  Maybe even enough time to get some dinner.  But if they missed the next bus they’d be leaving as soon as they got back to the flat.</p><p>It was common knowledge that Victoria was dotted on by her parents, and they were expecting her home for dinner on a Friday night so neither Melanie or Emma wanted to make her late for that.</p><p>“Good.” Victoria replied, more than happy to hear that.  “But I could kill Geri and Mel for this, it’s bloody rude.” Considering they all lived together she thought one of them might have mentioned their little arrangement before leaving them stranded at the studio.</p><p>Emma thought it wasn’t nice of them as well but she didn’t say it out loud.  It wouldn’t change anything.</p><p>Turning onto the right street Melanie pointed.  “There’s the bus coming, come on.”</p><p>Victoria groaned as Emma and Melanie started off for the bus stop.  She walked as quickly as she could but there was no way she was running.  And as it happened a few other people at the bus stop were getting on the same bus so Emma and Melanie had wasted their time by running.</p><p>She gave the pair a smug look as she got on with them and Melanie paid for all three of their fairs.</p><p>xxxxx</p><p>They managed to get back to the flat with time to spare, enough time for Melanie to jump in for a quick shower and change of clothes.  Emma picked up all the dirty washing lying around that needed to go on when they got back on Sunday and Victoria bundled up a bag of her own dirty clothes to take care of when she was home.</p><p>Emma noticed and thought that wasn’t a bad idea either and shoved some of her own clothes into a bag to take with her.</p><p>“Okay I’m ready.” Melanie said as she came back down the stairs in the process of tying her wet hair up and out of the way.</p><p>“About time.  Mel’s right, you really are slow aren’t you Melanie.” Victoria told her with a straight face.</p><p>Emma quickly stepped between the pair, she’d seen both Melanie’s have a go at each other and didn’t want Melanie and Victoria starting and argument over nothing.  “Okay don’t, we still have to drive to my house.”</p><p>“We?” Victoria questioned with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>“I can drive you know, I just don’t have a car.” Emma answered back.</p><p>Melanie grabbed her bag off the floor and picked up the other two that were sat by the door.  “Well, when we’re all rich and famous you can buy yourself any car that you want.” She pointed out.</p><p>“You think?” Emma asked.  She'd never had much growing up, her parents had sacrificed a lot for her to go to drama school.</p><p>“That would be amazing.” Victoria added as they all stepped out of the flat and Melanie made sure to lock the front door.  The area wasn’t exactly a crime capital but there was no need to invite trouble especially when it was the Herbert’s paying the rent.  “Of course you’d need to learn how to drive first.” She finished with a grin as they all got into her car.  A Ford Fiesta, nothing flash just something to get her around the city.</p><p>“Is she always like this on Fridays?” Melanie asked from the front passenger seat.  Her eyes finding Emma in the back.  “Or did I do something today to piss her off?”</p><p>Emma grinned.  She knew Victoria was just teasing Melanie, and could even see that Melanie wasn’t taking it to heart either.  Or there would have been more shouting.  “No, normally she just puts the radio on and sings along out of tune.”</p><p>Melanie guffed at that, delighted to have Victoria’s singing ability brought into question.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Victoria started, but kept her attention on the roads unlike one of their band mates.  “How would you even know Emma, five minutes in the car and you’re sound asleep.”</p><p>“Not true.” Emma replied with a pout, and crossed her arms over her chest.</p><p>Melanie just laughed louder.  “I bet that is true.” Melanie refuted quickly.  “You fall asleep everywhere, you almost fell asleep on the bus ride home.” She reminded the younger girl.</p><p>“Maybe the conversation was just that boring.” Emma hit back.</p><p> Victoria and Melanie shared a look.</p><p>“Stop being mean to me.” Emma huffed, feeling left out when the other two started laughing.</p><p>Victoria reached for the radio.  “Look, I’ll play your favourite station.” She said turning on a 60’s style broadcast.</p><p>Melanie sighed but left it alone as Emma squealed happily from the back seat.  After a while though she noticed Emma had stopped singing, turning in her seat she found the blonde fast asleep, head resting against the door.</p><p>Victoria just shook her head.  “Knew that would happen.” She said, then turned the radio station to something a bit more mainstream.</p><p>“Does that happen every time?” Melanie asked, finding it strange.  She would have thought Emma would have been excited to go home and see her mum.  Emma never shut up some night when she was calling home.  She’d spend that long on it talking about her day with her mum that Mel and Victoria would start complaining that one of them need to make a call.</p><p>“Every time.”  Victoria replied.  “Maybe I am just that boring.”</p><p>Melanie giggled to herself.  She liked Victoria, she had done for a while, even despite their obvious differences.  Maybe if she hadn’t known of her because they went to rival dance colleges, but Victoria just didn’t seem like someone she would have anything in common with, luckily they both loved music and dance enough to overcome that.</p><p>When it came to Emma, everyone loved her, and her voice was very natural, although Melanie had her doubts about how deep a vocal range Emma could achieve it was fine because there were other members in the group and together that covered pretty much all you needed.</p><p>It just meant that certain people were more likely to sing the high or low parts of songs.</p><p>They’d figure it all out eventually.  If they could get Geri to take the advice they gave her without storming off half the time that’d be a great start.  Though Mel wasn’t good at taking criticism over her performances during rehearsals either.  Especially from Geri, because so far Melanie had figured that Geri pointing out where everyone else was getting it wrong kept the focus off of her own problems.</p><p>Melanie already knew that Mel was spending extra time during the days helping Geri out with her dance steps.</p><p>“Why aren’t you going back to Liverpool this weekend?” Victoria asked as she continued driving them towards Emma’s house.</p><p>“Oh, everybody’s working this weekend, so there was no point.” Melanie explained, feeling sad about it.  She’d been living away from home for a couple of years now, and even if she was short on cash, she still tried to get back up there as often as she could.  She missed her family and the few friends back there she tried to stay in touch with, but that was getting harder and harder.  Luckily she now had four new people to develop friendships with.</p><p>“You nervous to meet Emma’s family?”</p><p>“Well I wasn’t until you said that.” Melanie replied.  She’d not really given it much thought, she'd met Pauline briefly the night Emma came to join the group and she'd seemed nice enough, though Melanie wasn't sure how the woman felt about leaving her daughter in the care of four other girls.  Maybe Emma's mum wouldn't want them by her house but Emma had made it sound like she always had people over and that her mum wasn’t going to bat an eyelid.</p><p>Victoria smiled to herself.  She was just teasing but it was fun to mess with Melanie.  She could joke around when she knew it was all taken in good humour but the second she thought she’d really offended you Melanie was always super apologetic and would give you a great big hug to say sorry.</p><p>Victoria quite liked it, she thought Melanie gave really good hugs, and it was always fun to kiss Melanie on the cheek when they were out, because Melanie never liked to wear lipstick but all the rest of them did.  One night when they’d gotten home from a club and none of them had fallen out, they said goodnight to each other with a kiss on the cheek and to Melanie’s absolute horror she ended up with bright lipstick marks all over her face.  It had been hysterical for the rest of them and a moment Victoria was going to treasure for a long time to come.</p><p>“You probably don’t want me to ask where you’ll be sleeping tonight then either, will you?” Victoria couldn’t stop herself from asking.</p><p>Melanie’s eyes widened, she hadn’t even thought about that.  She’d assumed she’d be in Emma’s room but maybe she shouldn’t be.  “I can always kip on the couch.” Or the floor if she had to.</p><p>“Doesn’t Emma have a brother?”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“What if you fancy him?”</p><p>“Yeah, right.” Melanie laughed that thought off.</p><p>“You could end up her real sister.” Victoria went on, enjoying herself.  Normally the drive home was a quiet one with blondie in the back fast asleep.  She didn’t mind the journey as much this time.</p><p>“You’ve got a brother though don’t you?” Melanie asked, deciding to turn the table.  “What if I end up with him, think you could get used to a scouser in the family?”</p><p>Victoria tried not to laugh.  “My dad would love that, he’d have someone to talk football with finally.” She explained.  “But I’ve got a sister too, if you’re into that sort of thing.” Victoria reminded Melanie, who blushed bright red beside her.</p><p>That stopped the conversation for the time being.</p><p>“Oh, we’re almost home.” Emma pipped up from the back.</p><p>That cause Melanie’s blushed to come back even stronger making Victoria laugh.</p><p>“What are you two giggle about?” Emma asked, her head sticking between them, wanting to know what was so funny.  “Well, share the joke.”</p><p>Melanie scrubbed her face with her hand to try and get rid of her embarrassment.</p><p>Victoria’s laughter died down as she pulled onto Emma’s road and stopped the car outside the blonde’s home.  “I was just saying to Melanie, that maybe we could all stay at my parent house next weekend.”</p><p>Melanie scowled at Victoria but didn’t contradict her.</p><p>“Really?” Emma asked in excitement.  “I’d love that, what did you say Mel?”</p><p>“Yeah Mel, you could meet my whole family.” Victoria teased.</p><p>“I’d love to have a sleep over with you Vicky, we can do each other’s hair and make-up, it’ll be just the best time ever!” Melanie told her.</p><p>Emma reached for Melanie’s forehead.  “You feeling okay?  Have I woken up in some alternative reality?” She asked as Melanie moved her head clear of her hand.</p><p>“I hate the pair of you, you lot are worse than Mel and Geri.” Melanie said as she climbed out of the car.</p><p>“Me?” Emma asked, bewildered.  She turned to look questioningly at Victoria.  “What did I do?”</p><p>Victoria just offered her a shrug.  “Maybe it’s that time of the month.”</p><p>“Oi, I heard that, and no it isn’t you bitch.” Melanie muttered as she pulled her bag from the boot.</p><p>Victoria smirked at Emma.  “Have fun this weekend.”</p><p>Still confused, Emma got out of the car.  “Thanks for the lift.”</p><p>“Yeah, Vicky, we’ll let you know when you need to drive us back.” Melanie said, still a little annoyed with the other girl.</p><p>Victoria just waved at the pair then drove away chuckling to herself.  She wasn’t sure what the two girls were going to get up to over the next two days, but the ride back to Maidenhead was sure to be interesting.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Emma’s mum Pauline watched as her daughter took Melanie by the hand and dragged her off to show the girl her bedroom.</p><p>“Why can Emma have girls over but I can’t?” PJ asked from the couch, as they sat watching a movie while they waited on their usual Friday night take-away to be delivered.</p><p>Blinking, Pauline wasn’t sure how to answer that.  “Your sister’s nearly eighteen, we can discuss what you can and can’t do when you’re her age.”</p><p>“But that’s ages away.” PJ complained.  He was four years younger than Emma.</p><p>“And that’s just the way it is.” Pauline replied, happy to put the conversation off for another few years at least.  She watched her son cross his arms in a huff and decided now would be a good time to get a start on her daughter’s washing.</p><p>xxxxxxx</p><p>“Close the door.” Emma said as she let go of Melanie and flopped down onto her bed. </p><p>Melanie did as she was told and dropped her overnight bag down at the foot of Emma’s single size bed.  “I can sleep on the couch if you want.” She offered as she glanced around the room.  Unsurprised to see a bookcase full of stuffed toys in one corner.</p><p>“Don’t be silly.” Emma said, then patted the space next to her.  “But I will warn you that I do hog the cover.”</p><p>Melanie sat down with a laugh.  “Yeah I noticed last night.” She didn’t mind though.</p><p>“Oi.” Emma complained and slapped at Melanie.  She then sat up and crossed her legs, having kicked her shoes off by the front door, Melanie had followed suit and left her trainers out there too when they’d arrived.</p><p>Melanie took another look around the room as she felt Emma reach over and take her hand.</p><p>“Do you like it?  My room.” Emma asked, not even the slightest bit embarrassed by how girly it was, with pink wallpaper and the fluffy toys or even the mirror on the table surrounded by her cosmetics.</p><p>Grinning Melanie shook her head, “Nah, it’s definitely you.”</p><p>Emma smiled back then looked down at the hand in hers, Melanie’s hand was warm, and her fingers were longer than her own, which was testament to their differences in height.  Emma was five foot two whereas Melanie was four inches taller.  But out of all of the girls Geri was the shortest.</p><p>“Can I paint your nails?” Emma asked as she noticed that Melanie didn’t even have clear polish on her nails.</p><p>“What?” Melanie snatched her hand back.  “No, no way.” She said with a shake of her head.  She didn’t wear nail polish, she didn’t even own any.</p><p>Emma pouted.  “Please, can I?”</p><p>Melanie scowled, not wanting to give in but when Emma tilted her head it was a close call.</p><p>“We can wipe it off before we go back, I won’t even tell the other girls.” Emma offered.  “Please?”</p><p>With a sigh, Melanie looked over at the little row of nail polishes Emma had on her table.  “What colour?” She asked.  “Not pink okay.” She could live with a lot of humiliation but not that.  Maybe she’d tolerate red because it was her football team’s colour but she wasn’t going to admit that out loud unless she had to.</p><p>“You can choose.” Emma replied quickly, delighted at the prospect and got up to fetch a bottle before Melanie changed her mind. </p><p>“You got any black?”</p><p>Emma shook her head.</p><p>Groaning, Melanie screwed her eyes closed and held her hands out.  “Then you pick, I don’t care.” Even though she sort of did, she could deal with it for a day or two before taking it off.</p><p>And if it made Emma happy than she guessed it would be worth it.</p><p>“Yes!” Emma grabbed the first bottle she could reach and bounced back onto the bed and grabbed for Melanie’s hand.  “Now, keep your eyes closed until I’m done.”</p><p>That wasn’t a problem for Melanie, she really didn’t want to look.</p><p>xxxxxx</p><p>“So how are things at the house?  Are you liking it?”  Pauline asked the girls as they sat in the living room watching a movie with their dinner plates in their laps.</p><p>“It’s good, everyone’s really different but it works.” Emma explained.</p><p>“And you Melanie?”</p><p>Melanie swallowed her mouthful.  “It’s alright, always a fight for the bathroom, but I guess a house full of five girls could be worse.”</p><p>“Well that’s good.”  Pauline replied, not wanting to think about having five girls around her daughter’s age all trying to organise household chores, if they did any.  “And what do your parents think of all of this?”</p><p>Melanie shrugged.  “Mum’s a singer in a band with my step-dad.” She told Emma’s mum.  “So my brother Paul-“</p><p>“That’s my name!” Emma’s little brother butt it.</p><p>“We call you PJ though.” Emma added.  Only their mum called him Paul when he was in trouble.</p><p> PJ nodded at that.  “Yeah, but I like PJ.  Stands for Paul James.”  He explained to his sister’s friend.</p><p>“My brother’s about your age, he’s eleven.” Melanie went on.</p><p>“I’m thirteen.” PJ replied.  “So I’m older.”</p><p>Melanie grinned.  “You are.”  The boy looked proud of that even if it wasn’t a competition.  “Maybe one day you’ll get to meet him.” If the band worked out and they did break into the music industry and became rich and famous, Melanie was sure that they’d all get to know each other’s families.</p><p>If Victoria got her way, she and Emma would be staying with her next weekend so they would have to see how that meeting went.  So far she liked Emma’s mum and her brother.</p><p>“Oh that would be nice.” Pauline said.  “I hardly even met you girls before I’m leaving my daughter with you.” She added.</p><p>“Mum!” Emma muttered.</p><p>Melanie took Emma’s hand and gave it a squeeze before letting go.  “And I totally understand that Ms Bunton-“</p><p>“Call me Pauline.”</p><p>“The house can be a bit of a mess at times, and you can get annoyed if someone’s trying to sleep and the others are messing about, but we’re all friends at the end of the day.  We’ve got each other’s backs.” She assured.  “You don’t know just how well Emma fits in with the band already, we all think she’s great.” And just what they’d been missing, although anyone would have been an improvement after Michelle who thought working on her tan was better than working on her dance steps.</p><p>Pauline beamed.  “She is very talented.”</p><p>Melanie nodded in agreement.  “And that’s why we’re going to keep her, she makes the band better.” She said with a look over at the blonde.</p><p>Emma felt the start of a blush but she smiled back at Melanie anyway.  “You’re just saying that so you don’t sleep on the floor tonight.” She teased.</p><p>“Where else is she sleeping?”  PJ asked looking between Emma and his mum.  “She’s not having my room, that’s not fair.”</p><p>Melanie cleared her throat and rubbed at her ear.</p><p>Pauline sighed and went back to her dinner.  “No one is taking your room, Emma’s friend is staying in with her.” She explained.</p><p>“Well good.” PJ answered back, with that settled he turned his attention back to the film.</p><p>Melanie heard Emma giggle beside her but ignored that and took her mum’s advice and set about finishing her dinner.</p><p>xxxxxx</p><p>“My brother is such a brat.” Emma said as she closed her bedroom door.  All three of them had shared the bathroom while they brushed their teeth in front of the mirror, but PJ had kept pushing them away and insisting he should get to use the room first, since he was the youngest.</p><p>Emma had counter that being the eldest meant she should get to go first.</p><p>Of course that led to Melanie asking why the house guest didn’t get that privilege.  And in the end they’d all giggled and laughed their way to bed time with a few pushes and elbows to ribs.</p><p>“He’s not bad.” Melanie said, her dad had re-married after he and her mum had split when she was younger, so she now had a bunch of half siblings and a lot of cousins.  Some she got on with, some she didn’t but generally she spent most of her time hanging out with guys.  It was only at the performing arts college that she had started having female friends.</p><p>But she’d always gotten along with boys much better.  And they never complained when she talked about football unlike the rest of her friends, even the other girls in the group rolled their eyes when she wanted to watch Match of the Day the couple of times they’d been at the flat at the weekends.</p><p>“I suppose.” Emma admitted as she climbed into bed.</p><p>Melanie hesitated then filled the space Emma left for her.  She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts to sleep in but Emma was just wearing a big t-shirt with a bear holding onto a teddy bear of its own which was kinda cute.</p><p>“What time should we be getting up?” Melanie asked as she laid on her back. </p><p>Emma shrugged.  “It’s the weekend, I did promise PJ I’d take him to the park though, so we have to do that tomorrow.”  She said then cuddled up to Melanie, who after a second put her arm around her shoulder.  “Night.” She said then lifted up to press a kiss on Melanie’s cheek before snuggling back into place.</p><p>“Night.” Melanie managed to reply.  Having slept with Emma in a similar position the night before it was easier this time for Melanie to fall asleep.</p><p>However, the door crept open before closing again a few seconds later.</p><p>Used to noises and movement during the night after living with the girls for a few months, neither girl woke at the sound.</p><p>xxxxxx</p><p>“Oh.” Melanie stopped when she spotted Emma’s mum in the kitchen.  “Sorry, I was just gonna grab some tea and toast if that’s okay.”</p><p>“Help yourself.”  Pauline told the girl as she sat at the kitchen table.  She had her own cup of tea in front of her and yesterday’s newspaper.  It was a lot earlier than her daughter usually got up.  “Emma still sleeping?” She asked.</p><p>“Yeah.” Melanie replied with a grin.  She had her trackie pants on and her favourite hoodie that she’d brought.</p><p>“Doesn’t surprise me, she was always the same.” Pauline said.  “She slept all the time as a baby.  Worried me to no end.”</p><p>Melanie chuckled.  “She fell asleep on the drive here.” She explained.</p><p>Pauline smiled at that.  Then she waited for the girl to join her at the table.  “How are things really going, with this whole music group thing?” She asked seriously.  She would always worry about Emma and want her close, but she understood what a great opportunity this was for all of the girls.</p><p>Melanie gave the question the deliberation it deserved.  “I don’t know really.” She replied.  “I do know we all want this, most of us have a music or dance background,” Except Geri of course.  “It gonna be a lot of hard work but I think we’ll get there.”</p><p>“You aren’t being taken advantage of you don’t think?” That was one of Pauline’s fear, her daughter and the other girls all isolated as some house she didn’t know the location of and being told everything by their managers. </p><p>It was the main reason she insisted to Emma that she come home most weekends.  So she’d be able to see for herself if there was anything wrong.  It was hard to know that from a few minutes on the phone every night.</p><p>“I don’t think so.” Melanie answered honestly.  “I mean there’s nothing in writing but we get to have vocal coaching, dance space and we’ve got some songs to work on, so it’s all working towards being a band.” She went on.  “Whether there’s a label who wants to sign us up at the end of all this is another story, but we’re going to do everything we can to make that happen.”</p><p>Pauling nodded along.  Most recently her daughter had wanted to go into acting and had even landed a small part in Eastenders and the Bill, but she had sang and danced all through her time at theatre school.  The call from her old singing coach about joining the girl group had been so out of the blue, it felt to Pauline that it was all happening too quickly.</p><p>“So this is long term?” She asked Melanie. </p><p>Melanie nodded quickly, and swallowed down her toast.  “Yeah, the plan’s not to do a showcase for months, maybe not even until next year.”  The Herbert’s weren’t in a rush, Chris said it would only happen when they had a few songs down perfect that they could perform and not get laughed off the stage.</p><p>No one wanted that to happen, as much as they wanted a contract and a music label and an album deal Melanie, just like the other girls, knew they just weren’t ready for that.  Not yet.</p><p>“Okay, that makes me feel a bit better.” Pauline replied.</p><p>Just then Emma came into the room.</p><p>“Morning love.” Pauline said to her daughter.</p><p>Emma barely had her eyes all the way open as she rubbed at them.  “Why are we up this early?” She asked.</p><p>“We?” Melanie asked, knowing the question was mostly directed to her.  “I left you sleeping.”  And for Melanie this wasn’t exactly early.  It was only just after eight in the morning.  She was normally just getting back from a job at this time most day.</p><p>Emma pouted then slumped into the seat beside Melanie and rested her head on the other girl’s shoulder and closed her eyes again.  “I’m still tired.”</p><p>Melanie rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “Then go back to bed then.” She suggested.</p><p>Emma huffed and put her hands around Melanie’s arm.  “But I’m all alone now.” She complained.</p><p>Melanie only just held in a giggle.  “Don’t fall back asleep now, or I’m telling all the girls.”</p><p>“So mean.” Emma said.</p><p>Suddenly PJ raced into the kitchen, sliding along the floor in his socks.  “Can we go to the park now?” He asked, having heard his sister’s voice from the living room where he was busy watching cartoons.</p><p>Emma turned her head into Melanie’s shoulder.  “Don’t wanna.” She muttered.</p><p>Pauline watched on with a small amount of fascination in her daughter’s interaction with the other girl, she’d never really seen Emma like this with anyone.</p><p>“Please Emma, you promised.” PJ continued.</p><p>Melanie spoke quietly to her friend.  “You did say we’d be taking him.” She reminded the girl.</p><p>“I never said this early.” Emma countered.  And she was allowed to change her mind if she wanted.  She’d only gotten up because she’d woken up alone and wondered where Melanie had got to.</p><p>“Please Emma?” PJ begged making their mum laugh.</p><p>Emma looked at her brother then at Melanie who was smirking at her.  She huffed and got up.  “Fine, but I’m taking a shower first.” She said walking into the hall.</p><p>“Yes!” PJ shouted then raced off for his room to change out of his pyjamas.</p><p>“Careful you don’t fall asleep and drown Ems.” Melanie called out after the blonde.</p><p>Emma just groaned as she went looking for a change of clothes, she couldn’t say what she wanted to with her mum and brother within earshot, but she’d get Melanie back for this.  The dark purple nail polish wasn’t going to be the end of Melanie’s torture this weekend, Emma was going to make sure of that.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Cuddles and kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Victoria pulled up outside of Emma’s house to see Melanie already stood there waiting.</p><p>“Everything go okay?” She asked as Melanie loaded her and Emma’s bag into the boot then came around and slide into the passenger’s seat.</p><p>“Yeah.” Melanie replied snapping her seat belt into place.</p><p>Victoria watched her friend for a few moments.  Studied the way her foot was tapping at the foot well and was that nail polish on her finger nails?  “Have a good time?”</p><p>“Yeah, wasn’t bad.” Melanie replied then crossed her arms as she spotted Victoria looking at her hands.  “We going?” She asked.</p><p>Victoria smirked.  “We can if you want to just leave Emma here.  I think Geri and Mel might wonder what you’ve done to her though.” She went on as she watched a blush creep up Melanie’s cheeks.</p><p>Before Melanie could form some sort of reply to that, Emma was pulling the back door open and getting in.</p><p>“Thanks for waiting, I was just saying goodbye to my mum.” Emma said with a smile at Victoria.</p><p>“No problem, did you tell her you were staying at mine next weekend?” Victoria asked as she got them going back towards the flat in Maidenhead.</p><p>Melanie frowned.  “You were serious about that?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Victoria replied.</p><p>“Oh.” Emma said.  “I never mentioned it, no.”</p><p>“Well, you can still call her and let her know.” Victoria offered.  She’d been talking to her parents about having Melanie and Emma stay over and they’d thought it was a good idea for the girls to spend time together away from ‘the band’.</p><p>“Of course she can.” Melanie agreed.  Melanie didn’t think Pauline would mind but PJ might miss hanging out with his sister.</p><p>Emma nodded.  “I’ll do that as soon as we get back I just thought you weren’t being serious Victoria.”</p><p>“I was deadly serious, you’ve had the chance to play dress up with Melanie, well, next week it’s my turn.” Victoria explained, completely straight faced.</p><p>“I did Mel’s nail, have you seen?” Emma informed her friend.</p><p>Melanie just sighed.  Victoria had noticed.</p><p>With a giggle Victoria put the radio on and didn’t say another word for the rest of the drive. </p><p>Melanie rolled her eyes at the music but left it alone, and sure enough, by half way she turned in her seat to see Emma fast asleep in the back, despite her late start to the day.</p><p>The girl really could just sleep anywhere.</p><p>xxxxxx</p><p>When they got back to the flat they found it empty.  While Emma and Victoria went about unpacking, Melanie got a start on some of the house work that needed doing.  The dishes had piled up and there was at least two loads of washing to go on.</p><p>She was almost finished with the dishes when a pair of arms wrapped around her neck.</p><p>“You’re like the perfect wife.”</p><p>It was Mel, which meant Geri was back in the flat as well. It made the pit of Melanie’s stomach flutter, because another long week of studio sessions and dance practise was nearly here.</p><p>“So, where’s me dinner?” Mel asked, still hanging on to her.</p><p>Melanie just kept cleaning the plates and cutlery in the basin she had in the sink.  “You can fuck right off with that.” She told Mel and shrugged out of her hold.</p><p>Mel huffed then went to look in the fridge.  “Not so perfect then are ya?”</p><p>Melanie ignore the other girl, she could have got a start on dinner but there wasn’t much in the house in the way of food.  Plus they had a rota for chores set up and cooking wasn’t her job to take care of until Wednesday.</p><p>“I knew we shoulda stopped by the take-away on our way here.” Mel said with a groan.</p><p>“Well, go ask what the others want and call in an order.” Melanie suggested.  She was the only one in the group that couldn’t drive so any of the others could go pick it up, or they could pay a little extra and just have it delivered.</p><p>Mel walked into the living room and slouched down onto the couch.  “I supposed.” She grumbled.</p><p>She didn’t really want to go up the stairs and ask anyone anything, her head was still pounding from the night before and travelling all the way back.  The only thing she really wanted was some food and the chance to sleep the rest of the night away.</p><p>Melanie looked over at her and shook her head.  She figured Mel would be fast asleep soon enough the way she was sprawled out on the couch.  But now that it had been mentioned she was starting to feel hungry as well.</p><p>Finishing up the dishes and leaving them to dry she wiped her hands and made her way up the stair.  She could see Geri in her little room going through her clothes, so she popped her head into Emma’s and Victoria’s room.</p><p>They were both sat on their respective beds with the radio on talking away.</p><p>“Hey,” Melanie interrupted.  “Any of you want to go get some food?”</p><p>Victoria tiled her head.  “To the shops?”</p><p>“That or it’s take-away again.” Melanie replied.</p><p>“I’ve got money in the bank.” Emma said.</p><p>They both looked at Victoria as she needed to be the one driving.  The staring made her stand and pull a jumper on.  “I’m not going alone.” She told the pair, if she had to be the driver then someone else was going to be doing the shopping.</p><p>“Where you going?” Geri asked, having heard the other girls talking and came into the room.</p><p>Melanie turned to the older girl.  “We’ve no food in the house, so Vicky’s taking someone down the shops.” She explained.  Then she turned back to Victoria.  “If I give you twenty quid can you get me some beer too?” She asked.</p><p>“Sure.” Victoria replied.  She eyed Geri with a raised eyebrow.  “You coming with me or what?”</p><p>“I could come.” Emma pipped up from her bed but made no move to get ready to leave.</p><p>Melanie rolled her eyes.  “I’m surprised you’re even awake, kid.”</p><p>“I’m not a kid!” Emma complained which only made Melanie smirk at her.</p><p>Geri put her hand out.  “Well I don’t mind going, I had a few things to get anyway.”</p><p>“What about Mel?” Victoria asked.</p><p>Melanie snorted.  “Think she’s passed out on the couch.  But she was looking for food.”</p><p>“We’ll go then.” Geri said looking toward Victoria.  “Are you driving or am I?”</p><p>“Me, you can do the shopping.” Victoria answered.</p><p>“Let me get my money.” Melanie said before heading to her bedroom and pulling a couple of tenner’s from her wallet.  She came back and handed it over to Geri.  “Can you get beer, some rice, potatoes and chicken, maybe some mixed veg or summit?”</p><p>Geri took the money.  “Sure, I’ll get some other things too, bread, teabags-“</p><p>“Biscuits!” Emma demanded. “And cereal.”</p><p>“Of course, but can we go or it’ll be late getting back.” Victoria said pushing at Geri.  “If the hungry monster down there wakes up, just order us all a Chinese, yeah?” She said looking to Melanie.</p><p>“Sure.” Melanie replied.  It would probably be easier all around if they just got take-away tonight anyway.  “I’ll order everyone’s usual in half an hour so it gets here about the same time you get back.” She went on.  By care the local supermarket wasn't that far away but given it was Sunday it would be a little busy with most people doing the same and getting a weekly shop in.</p><p>“There should still be money in the kitchen for that.” Geri said before Victoria had started pushing her towards the stairs.</p><p>Melanie shook her head at the pair then came over and laid down beside Emma.  “You called your mum yet?”</p><p>“Yeah, she said she’d take PJ to my Aunt’s next weekend instead.”  Emma told her.</p><p>Melanie stared at her friend, she didn’t look entirely happy with that.  “You don’t have to go to Vicky’s if you don’t want to.” She said in a low tone.</p><p>Emma laid down and stared at the ceiling for a bit.  “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just, it means I won’t get home for two whole weeks.”</p><p>Melanie couldn’t help but smirk.  “You’re such a baby.” She said, ruffling Emma’s hair. </p><p>Emma gasped and rolled over to glare at her friend.  “I am not!” She said indignantly.</p><p>Laying on her back, Melanie soon had to wrestle Emma as she jumped on top of her.</p><p>“Take that back!” Emma demanded.</p><p>Melanie couldn’t hold in her laughter.  “Okay, okay, calm down.” She said, trying to appease the younger girl.  “It’s not a bad thing to miss home.”  She went on to tell her.  She’d been living away from home for a few years, but it had been an adventure to Melanie.  She’d planned the move and to trying launching her career here in London, and if that didn’t work out, like it wasn’t really before this, she’d have gone back up to Liverpool to try and find work.</p><p>But she knew for Emma, Pepe’s call had come out of the blue.  Emma had still been at college while taking small parts in TV and commercials.</p><p>“We’ll tell Vicky some other weekend okay?” She offered.  She and the other girls knew Emma got homesick a lot and she didn’t want the other girl getting upset.</p><p>Emma pouted.  She’d had a really good time with Melanie over the weekend. They’d watched movies, gone to the park with her brother both days and Melanie had even kept the nail polish on, and let Emma braid her hair.</p><p>They’d had fun.  And she guessed spending the weekend with Victoria could be just as enjoyable, but she was nervous about it.  She’d never had many close friends growing up so sleeping over wasn’t something she did.</p><p>“Nah, it not just… Victoria is…” She wasn’t sure how to say it.</p><p>“A bit of a snob?” Melanie offered with a grin.  She didn’t mean that in a nasty way, she really liked Victoria, but it was clear that her family background wasn’t like it was for Melanie, either Melanie for that matter.</p><p>“Don’t be mean.” Emma told Melanie.</p><p>Melanie shook her head.  “I’m not, but she’s got two sibs and I can’t see them having to share a bedroom.”</p><p>That made Emma giggle because one of the first things Victoria did when they got up to their bedroom was complain that she was back to sleeping in a single bed again.  “Yeah, I think that too.”</p><p>Resting her head on her hand as she laid on her side staring at Melanie, Emma asked, “You think her parents will mind?  Having us over?”</p><p>Melanie shrugged, her hands playing with the edge of Emma’s t-shirt.  “Nah, Vicky doesn’t care, so why would they?”</p><p>“They might.”</p><p>Melanie scowled.  “I’ll talk to Victoria, see what she thinks.”  But Melanie was sure Victoria wouldn’t have offered for them to stay the weekend if she thought her parents would object.  “Maybe you could stay over next weekend with Vicky?” She suggested, that way Victoria’s parents wouldn’t be overwhelmed with two strange friends of their daughter crashing at their house.</p><p>Emma pouted, she didn’t like that idea. “What would you do then?”</p><p>Melanie shrugged.  “Go home, or stay here, I’m not that bothered.”</p><p>Emma’s eyelids fluttered closed when she felt the back of Melanie’s hand skim against the skin of her stomach.  When she opened them again she could only stare down at Melanie, her heart pounding in her ears.</p><p>Melanie noticed of course, but not the reason why.  “You tired?” She asked.  “I can go hang out in my bedroom or go back down stairs.”  She’d barely finished speaking before a pair of lips were pressed against her own.  “Oh.”</p><p>“Oh?” Emma pulled back slightly.</p><p>Melanie swallowed hard.  “I guess you’re not tired then?”</p><p>Emma smiled and shook her head.  She was far from tired.  She lifted her hand and cupped Melanie’s face, then hesitantly, leaned back down for a proper kiss.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Bruised</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Victoria was laughing at something Geri had said about a gossip magazine she was looking through as they pulled back up outside the flat.  They’d been gone maybe a half hour at most.</p><p>“I'll grab the bags.” Geri said, then got out to pick up the food shopping from the back seats.</p><p>“Thanks.” Victoria said as she got out, but just as she was locking her car her attention was caught by the figure of Melanie sat down by the front steps.  Something in her gut told her that the other girl wasn’t out there waiting on a fast food delivery.</p><p>She and Geri shared a look as the redhead came around with the bags.</p><p>Melanie stood to meet them, her eyes downcast and her hands shoved into the front pocket of her hoodie.</p><p>“Why don't I take these inside.” Geri said as Melanie hovered next to Victoria. </p><p>“Thanks.” Victoria replied but her eyes never left her friend.  “Mel?” She asked softly, lifting a hand to gently raise Melanie’s face so she could look her in the eye. </p><p>The first thing she noticed was the tears but then she saw the growing bruise.</p><p>“Oh my god, who hit you?” Victoria asked in shock as she noticed the swelling just below Melanie’s left eye.</p><p>Melanie blinked and tears fell from her eyes.  She swallowed a couple of times but still couldn’t meet her friend’s curious eyes.</p><p> “Melanie, talk to me please.” Victoria tried again.</p><p>“Emma-“</p><p>“Hit you?!” Victoria couldn’t believe that for a second.</p><p>“Kissed me.” Melanie cut back in.  “Or I kissed her, I’m not entirely sure.”</p><p>Victoria sighed, she wasn’t surprised by that news, far from it.  But before she could even think about that she needed to know exactly how Melanie ended up out here in the cold, crying and with a possible black eye. “Who hit you Melanie?”</p><p>Wiping at her eyes, Melanie touched at her cheekbone as Victoria wiped the tear stains off her other cheek. </p><p>She couldn’t remember much of what happened really.  Just hands grabbing at her and the pushing and shoving, and the words.</p><p>“Mel walked in…” She had to pause again.  “And…”</p><p>Victoria snorted.  “And she <em>hit</em> you?”</p><p>Melanie shrugged, she didn’t really want to talk about any of it.  She pulled her head away from Vitoria when she touched a part of her face and it hurt.  “Can you just, can you go check that Emma’s okay?”</p><p>“Why?” Victoria’s eyes widened.  “Did all three of you get into a fight? I swear none of you can be left alone.” She went on shaking her head.</p><p>Melanie took a deep breath and glanced back to the door.</p><p>When Melanie fell silent again Victoria knew it was a lost cause trying to get her to open up, and now she was worried about what she’d find inside the flat.  She took Melanie’s hand and started for the door only to turn around when Melanie pulled her hand free and refused to move with her.</p><p>“I’m gonna,” Melanie cleared her throat and shove her hands back into her hoodie pocket.  “Go for a walk.  Clear me head.”</p><p>Victoria was torn.  She didn’t want Melanie leaving like this, she was clearly upset, but maybe forcing her inside wasn’t the best idea either right now.  “I could come with you?”</p><p>Melanie shook her head quickly.  “Can you go see Emma?” She asked again then she took a couple of steps away but lingered, waiting for Victoria to go into the flat they all shared.</p><p>“Don’t stay out here long Melanie, or I'll come looking for you.”  She warned before reluctantly turning and heading for the flat.</p><p>xxxxxx</p><p>“Here, put this on it.” Geri said coming back into the front room holding a tea towel with ice inside.  “It’ll keep the swelling down.”</p><p>Melanie took the cloth then touched it to her mouth, pulling it back almost instantly.  “Ow!”</p><p>Geri rolled her eyes and shared a look with Emma who was pacing nearby.  Then she gently forced Mel’s hand with the homemade ice pack back to where it needed to go.  “Leave it Mel.”</p><p>Mel was sat on the couch shaking her head.  “Can’t believe that bitch hit me.” She muttered, her head still pounding, only this time it was just because of her alcohol consumption.</p><p>“Yeah, well… what did you expect?” Emma said before her eyes went to the front door, disappointment filling her when she only saw Victoria enter.</p><p>Victoria surveyed the scene in front of her before stopping at the couch.  Emma looked worried but it was Mel that looked worse for wear.  “You okay Mel?” She asked.</p><p>Mel stood and pulled the tea towel from her face.  “Does this look okay to you?” She asked gesturing to her split and swollen lip. </p><p>“Who hit who first?” Victoria asked.</p><p>Mel sat back down. “Does it matter?”</p><p>Of course it did.</p><p>“Where’s Melanie?” Emma couldn’t help but ask, she knew Mel was going to be fine but it was Melanie that had left and not come back.</p><p>“She’s out front.” Geri said, her attention though was back on helping Mel.  “That’s not going to look good if you don’t keep the swelling down.”</p><p>“It fucking stings okay?” Mel complained but allowed Geri to put the cold compress back onto her lip.</p><p>“Well the pair of you shouldn’t be fighting.” Victoria added. </p><p>Emma moved away from them and looked out the front window but sighed when she couldn’t see Melanie anywhere.</p><p>“She’s not out there.” She said turning back to the others.</p><p>“Good.” Mel muttered.  Her free hand going to her head.  “My head is killing me.”</p><p>“Who started the fight?” Victoria asked.</p><p>Absolute silence from Mel. </p><p>Victoria looked at Emma and raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Emma crossed her arms over her chest.  “Mel did.” She finally admitted.</p><p>“She was all over you!” Mel protested as she stood back up, or she tried to, Geri however was having none of it and pulled her arm to get her to sit back down on the couch. </p><p>Emma blushed bright red.  “You shouldn’t have dragged her off me.” She muttered.</p><p>Geri’s eyes widened and she turned her head to eye Victoria.</p><p>Victoria covered her face with her hands and took a deep breath.  Then she turned her eyes to Emma.  “What do you mean, exactly?”</p><p>Emma shrugged.  “We were… in my room… on my bed-“</p><p>“It better have been your bed.” Victoria couldn't help but say.</p><p>“And then, the door opens and we moved but…”</p><p>“They were on the floor and Melanie was on top of her and she was yelping.” Mel added just to get the story time over with.</p><p>“And you thought, what?” Victoria asked, narrowing her eyes at Mel.</p><p>Mel waved her hand in Emma’s general direction.  “That she was… that… I don’t know okay, I Don’t know what I was thinking.”</p><p>“Because if, for one second, you’re suggesting that Melanie would <em>ever</em> do anything that Emma didn’t want her to then I’m not sure I want any part of this group.” Victoria said, meaning every word.  Melanie was in a complete state out there somewhere.  Victoria doubted she had anything with her, not even her wallet.</p><p>“What?” Mel asked.</p><p>“You’re not serious, are you?” Geri asked, standing up.</p><p>“Did you see Melanie’s face?” Victoria asked, directing her question to Geri.  “Now she’s out there on her own, who even knows where?”</p><p>Emma glanced back at the window.  She didn’t like the sound of Melanie being out there on her own, especially if she was upset, or worse hurt, as Victoria was implying. “Should we go look for her?” She asked.</p><p>Geri was torn.  “Maybe it’s best we let her cool off, I’m sure she’ll come back on her own.”</p><p>Victoria wasn’t too sure on that.  Her eyes found Emma, “If she’s not back soon we’ll have a look.” She assured the other girl.</p><p>Emma sighed and sat down.  “What a mess.” She muttered, picking up a cushion to hold in her lap.</p><p>“She started it, I was just trying to get her off you.” Mel spoke up, ignoring the exasperated look she got from Geri.</p><p>“Well no one asked you to.” Emma answered back.</p><p>“You’re only seventeen, Emma.” Geri added unhelpfully.</p><p>Victoria snorted.  “Really, you want to go there?” She asked, eyeing the oldest girl among them.</p><p>“What’s that got to do with anything?” Emma asked, folding her arms.  “I kissed Melanie not the other way around.”</p><p>Mel groaned and put her head in her hands.  “You’re all giving me a headache.”</p><p>“You gave yourself one.” Victoria replied, feeling no sympathy for the other girl.</p><p>Having had enough of the lecture, Mel got up.  “I’m going to bed.” She informed the others.</p><p>“But Melanie’s not even back yet.” Emma told her.  Worried about them not getting this all sorted before they had to go to the studio in the morning.</p><p>Geri paused as she was about to leave the room with Mel. </p><p>“We’ve scrapped before.”  Mel answered back.  And it was true, she’d got into arguments with Melanie a few times already, although this one was by far the most serious.</p><p>Victoria studied Mel for a second.  “I don’t think she's upset just because you hit her.”</p><p>Mel’s eyes fluttered between everyone.  “I'll say sorry in the morning.” She offered finally.  Though she wasn’t great at saying sorry she’d make an exception, Emma clearly wasn’t upset about whatever was going on in her bedroom with Melanie.  And right now Mel was regretting going to see where everyone was, she should have just gone to her own bed in the first place like she had planned to, but Emma and Victoria’s room was before hers.  “Okay?” She added, wondering if she could go to bed now.</p><p>“Chris is going to go off his head as it is.” Geri muttered to herself.  And they were expecting Pepe, their vocal coach to being in tomorrow as well.</p><p>“Yeah, well, if Melanie doesn’t come back, a split lip is going to be the least of his worries.” Victoria pointed out for them all.</p><p>Mel shook her head then walked to the stairs.  Between her hangover and her fight with Melanie, she really did just need to lay down and have this day be over.</p><p>Victoria watched Geri follow Mel up the stairs.</p><p>Emma eyed the front door.  She was worried more now, she’d wanted to go after Melanie in the first place but then she’d seen Mel’s hand come away from her face with blood on it.  “This is such a mess.”</p><p>“Hmm.”  Victoria completely agreed on that one.  She sat down beside Emma and patted her thigh.  “How are you though?”</p><p>“I didn’t get hit.” Emma assured.</p><p>“No, I know, but…”</p><p>Emma looked confused.  She wasn’t sure what Victoria meant. </p><p>“Melanie wasn’t completely sure who kissed who.” She informed Emma with a sly grin.  Getting the blush she expected from Emma.  “She went almost as red as you, too.”</p><p>Pouting Emma picked at the stitching of the cushion in her lap.  “Don’t make fun of me right now, please.”</p><p>Victoria bumped her shoulder against Emma’s.  “I’m not trying to, honest.”  She told her.  “You really like Melanie, don’t you?”</p><p>Emma just shrugged.</p><p>“You don’t have to explain anything to me, or anyone else in here.” Victoria assured Emma.  “But you do need to work out what that kiss meant, if anything, and talk to Melanie.” She went on.  “She deserves that.”</p><p>Emma nodded quickly.  “I will.”</p><p>That was good enough for Victoria.  “So how was your weekend?” She asked, not have got much information from Melanie during the drive back and they been too busy unpacking to talk with Emma when they’d got back.</p><p>Emma grinned.  “It was great, mum likes her, and PJ loved her.” She explained.  “We went to the park with PJ, me and Melanie, and she was showing him all these flips and handstands, and he was so proud when he managed to do one on his own!”</p><p>Emma’s excitement made Victoria smile.  She was glad the rest of the weekend had gone well for the pair despite how it was ending.</p><p>“That’s good, I think she’s mentioned she did gymnastics as a kid.” Victoria added.</p><p>“Yeah, she won all kinds of awards she told me.”  Emma went on.  “She’s really good, she did this run then cartwheel, then backwards flip thing that was, just, wow.”</p><p>Victoria tried not to laugh.  But it was clear to see the Emma was just as impressed by Melanie as she made her brother sound.</p><p>Just when she considered teasing the other girl again, the front door opened slowly, and in crept Melanie.</p><p>“Oh, you’re back.” Emma exclaimed as she got up and went over to Melanie, but the other girl shied away from her, leaving Emma stood there awkwardly.</p><p>Melanie’s eyes nervously looked around, first at Victoria, then at the staircase before resting on Victoria again.  She was safer to look at the Emma, who was currently studying the growing bruise under her eye.</p><p>“Mel’s gone to bed, if that’s what you’re going to ask.” Victoria inform her.</p><p>“Is she okay?” Melanie asked, she’d thrown a couple of punches and so had Mel but she wasn’t really sure what kind of state she’d left the other girl in.  She’d just needed to get away to breathe and to think.</p><p>Victoria shook her head.  “Are you okay more to the point?” She replied.  “Mel’ll be fine once she’s slept it off.  And she said she’ll apologise to you in the morning.”</p><p>Emma couldn’t take it any longer and leaned into Melanie, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her head in the centre of Melanie’s chest.  Their respective height differences making it a comfortable fit.  “Are you okay?  That looks sore.” She asked softly as she finally felt Melanie loosely return her hold.</p><p>“Had worse.” Melanie replied.</p><p>That made Victoria snort.  The way the two had already gone at it with each other she could believe it, especially given Melanie told her she had brothers and cousins around her age that she grew up with.</p><p>Victoria found herself smiling as she watched the pair for a while.  Emma must have whispered something because she saw Melanie smile and then her lips moved but Victoria could hear what she said.</p><p>“Okay you two enough, Emma let the poor girl in and both of you can just deal with my cooking if no one’s bothered to call in a take-away.” Victoria told them.</p><p>Melanie’s eyes widened.  The last time Victoria had tried cooking she’d set the fire alarm off and almost burnt the flat down.</p><p>“I’ll call an order in, save you the trouble of trying to kill us.” Melanie said, easing Emma away from her and moving towards the house phone.</p><p>Victoria smirked at how easily that had worked.  She took a seat on the coach and picked up a magazine that Geri had been reading in the car.  “Suit yourself. Can’t say I didn’t offer.”</p><p>Emma giggled but sat down beside Victoria.  Happy to have Melanie back in the flat even if her eyes were all red from crying and she was getting a black eye.</p><p>When Melanie ended the call she came over but sat on the chair by herself.  Resting her legs over the arm she wasn’t surprised when a few minutes later Emma reached over and started playing with her foot, having left her trainers by the door before she’d gone to the phone.</p><p>After a while Victoria heard quiet giggling.  She kept her eyes on the article she was reading, even though it was boring as hell, it beat having to deal with her two friends being all cutesy with each other.</p><p>A little while after that Victoria felt the couch move and she didn’t even have to look up to guess that the pair were now crammed together on the single seater.</p><p>All Emma’s doing of course.</p><p>Why Mel had even thought anything else was beyond Victoria.</p><p>And while she did think it was cute there was a line to be drawn between them all, and now was the perfect time to draw it.  Placing the magazine down Victoria stared at Melanie and Emma until the noticed and both looked over at her.</p><p>“New house rule,” She told them.  “While you are more than welcome to stay in our room Melanie, there will be no sex in my bed, or in my presence, is that clear?”</p><p>It was hard to keep her face straight and serious when both girls in front of her blushed as red as they did, but Victoria managed, just.  “A nod will do.” She added when they failed to reply.</p><p>Oh, how she was enjoying this.</p><p>They eventually both nodded their heads at her in response then eyed each other.</p><p>“Excellent.”  Victoria clapped her hands together then stood.  “Now I’m going somewhere not here until the food arrives.” She informed them before heading for the stairs and her room, wondering as she went just what kind of state she would find it in.</p><p>Emma swallowed as she looked at Melanie.  “I don’t think I’m ready for…”</p><p>“Me either.” Melanie replied quickly, her blush not fading at all.  She’d thought it had been awkward when PJ had asked about their sleeping arrangements before but this was way beyond that.</p><p>“Okay.” Emma replied, relaxing back against Melanie now that they had cleared that up.  “But you can still stay over right?”  She didn’t want to leave Melanie alone, and she was worried what would happen if Melanie tried to sleep in her own room before both Mel’s had talked tonight over with each other.</p><p>It wasn’t like anything was going to happen, especially with Victoria in the bed next to them but Melanie wasn’t sure it was the best idea.</p><p>Emma noticed Melanie hesitate.  “I’ll just come down here if you don’t.” She warned, then shifted on top of Melanie and wiggled her fingers.</p><p>“Don’t you dare!” Melanie warned.</p><p>Now Emma felt compelled to follow through with her threat and soon she was trying to find any and every ticklish spot Melanie had.  Or at least until a sharp intake of breath and a wince from Melanie made her stop.</p><p>“What?” Emma asked in concern.</p><p>Melanie tried to lay back down.  “It’s nothing.”</p><p>“Didn’t look like nothing.” Emma replied and started pulling at Melanie hoodie and then her t-shirt.</p><p>“Hey!” Melanie complained, but it didn’t help as Emma exposed her stomach.</p><p>“Turn around, let me see.” Emma ordered as she lifted herself up a little to give Melanie room to manoeuvre.</p><p>Melanie did, easing onto her side as she felt her clothes being pushed up her back.</p><p>“Jesus, how did that happen?” Emma asked as she noticed the large bruise covering Melanie’s side and back, going up to the bottom of her ribs.  “Does it hurt? Of course it does.” She answered herself, given Melanie’s reaction to her tickling her there and the size of the bruise, of course it hurt.</p><p>“Why didn’t you say anything?” Emma asked as Melanie shifted back around carefully and pulled her clothes back into place with Emma’s help.</p><p>Melanie shrugged.  She hadn’t felt any pain at the time, it was only now that she did.  Her face really only hurt when Victoria had prodded it, and now with Emma’s fingers jabbing into her side.  Sure it hurt.</p><p>Emma felt tears sting her eyes.</p><p>Melanie frowned and reached a hand up to cup Emma’s face.  “Hey, I’m okay really.  Just a tiny bit sore right now.”</p><p>“I’m really sorry.”</p><p>Melanie shook her head.  “It’s not your fault me and her upstairs settle things with a fight.” She explained.  “It’s probably just because we’re Northerner’s.” She added trying to get a smile from Emma.</p><p>“It’s not funny.” Emma insisted.  She didn’t like her friends hurting each other, especially when she’d been the reason for it.  It just made her cry all the more.</p><p>Melanie didn’t know what to say to make things better so she pulled Emma down against her and gave her a hug.  It wasn’t at all comfortable for either of them she was sure, but Emma buried her face into her neck and continued to cry.</p><p>They never moved from that position, not when Victoria came back down and went to the door, or when the food was out and Mel and Geri joined everyone for dinner.</p><p>“She okay?” Geri eventually asked what the others were all thinking.</p><p>Emma felt Melanie tense at the question and it just made her angry.  “No I’m not okay, you had no right hurting Melanie, and you had no right just barging into my room like that in the first place.”</p><p>“Em.” Melanie tried as she followed Emma’s lead and sat up to face the others.  “I’m okay.”</p><p>“It’s just a bruise.” Mel said to Emma, it wasn’t like she got off scot free, Melanie had thumped her a good one right in the face.  She’s lucky Melanie didn’t loosen a tooth.  Yes she’d got her wires crossed and she’d apologise to Melanie when she got a chance to, but she didn’t get why Emma was so upset. “And I’ve got my own, thank you.”</p><p>“Her back’s all bruised up too.” Emma pointed out.</p><p>Mel frowned.  “I hurt your back?”</p><p>“No.” Melanie replied.</p><p>“Yes she did!” Emma cut in.  “I’ve seen the bruise myself.”</p><p>“Show the rest of us then.” Geri said.  She was only just now aware of the bruise under Melanie’s eyes.  But she could help cover that up with some make-up in the morning.</p><p>“Fuck off the lot of you, I’m fine.” Melanie insisted.</p><p>Emma huffed and crossed her arms.</p><p>“And you hit like a girl.” Mel couldn’t help but add with a smirk.</p><p>Victoria sighed.  “Okay the pair of you cut it out.” She warned with a raised voice before Melanie could give a smart ass reply to that comment and everything kicked off again.</p><p>“Sorry.” Mel apologised half-heartedly.</p><p>“Yeah, sorry.” Melanie said as well.</p><p>Victoria was on a roll now.  “Great, now apologise to each other.”</p><p>Melanie rolled her eyes.  “Sorry I hit you.  Like a <em>girl</em>.”</p><p>Mel laughed then gave Melanie a nod.  “Yeah, I’m sorry to, it’s a lovely shiner though ain’t it?”</p><p>“Yeah, well, just remember you said that when Chris notices tomorrow.” Victoria said, only slightly proud of herself when Mel’s smile dropped and she scowled over at her.</p><p>It was true though.</p><p>There was no way Chris Herbert wasn’t going to notice either of their wounds.</p><p>Mel shook her head and went back to her food.  “What’s he going to do, me and Mel are the best you lot have.”</p><p>Melanie guffed at that then regretted it when her sore back protested.</p><p>Victoria shook her head.  “I don’t know why I bother.” She said before reaching for the remote and switching their TV on.</p><p>Mel chuckled then looked over at Melanie, who was struggling to balance her food with Emma trying to squeeze into the seat alongside her.  When the other girl met her eyes she winked at her, and when Melanie just smirked and shook her head Mel knew there were no lasting hard feelings between them.</p><p>It was just that sometimes their actions were quicker than their words.</p><p>So it was just another thing for them to work on together, besides their singing and their dancing.</p>
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